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A home garden may seem like an unlikely place to discover a skincare super ingredient, but for Farmacy co-founder Mark Veeder, his green thumb was the key to his budding skincare empire.

An avid gardner, Veeder was no stranger to the power of botany. So when he discovered a rare Echinacea plant in his home nursery, he knew the herbaceous flower would lead to something special. Turns out he was right. A few patents later, the skincare brand Farmacy was born in 2015.

Together, the duo is combining Veeder’s trademarked Echinacea extract with natural botanicals and scientific research to create a one-of-a-kind, naturally-derived skincare line.

On a recent trip to Houston, we caught up with Veeder to talk all things Farmacy. From his green upbringing to the brand’s next move, here’s an inside look at the farmer cultivated, scientist activated beauty brand.

In the Beginning

“While in my garden at home, I noticed a green-flowering Echinacea purpurea plant. I knew that this was unique, since there was no such thing as a green-flowering Echinacea, and went ahead and got it patented,” Veeder says.

“It turns out that our Echinacea – Echinacea GreenEnvy — is 300 percent stronger in a phytochemical called Cichoric Acid, which has incredible skincare benefits because it is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

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“I partnered with a leading lab in New Jersey to develop a full line of products. At Farmacy, we say we’re “Farmer Cultivated, Scientist Activated” because we believe in using incredible botanicals backed by the power of science to create naturally-derived, efficacious products.”

Farming Origins

“When I was a kid, instead of looking at fashion magazines, I was looking at plant catalogs. I’ve always had both a love and respect for nature and farming from a young age (I grew up on my dad’s Christmas tree farm), and that passion is something that has carried with me throughout my life.

“My curiosity about plants and botanicals plays a large role in Farmacy’s product development, since beyond my discovery of Echinacea GreenEnvy, I’m always on the hunt for new, unique actives that I can bring into skincare.”

Echinacea 101

“A lot of people are familiar with taking Echinacea when they’re feeling sick, or have a cold, because it’s loaded with antioxidants. It has a similar effect when applied topically to the skin.

“Our patent-protected variant of Echinacea Purpurea, GreenEnvy, contains a high concentration of Cichoric Acid, which is a potent natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps protect and firm the skin by inhibiting the enzymes that break down collagen.

“[It] also normalizes the skin pigmentation process to promote a more evenly toned complexion.”

New Kid on the Block

“Our newest launch – which just came out in July – is our Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer. It’s a long-lasting, lightweight moisturizer combining Echinacea GreenEnvy Honey (which is made only by the bees on our farm in Upstate New York), Triple Hyaluronic Acid Complex (to target the skin at three different molecular weights) and cupuaçu butter beads which melt into the skin to provide a smooth, hydrated finish.

“As part of our mission to foster an appreciation for naturally derived and farmer cultivated ingredients and bring attention to the importance of honeybees to our food supply, we’re donating one dollar for every honey product sold through December 2017 to City Growers for the development of their Bee Education program.

“City Growers is a nonprofit with the mission to close fundamental gaps in the experiences of city kids: exploration of the natural world and understanding of where our food comes from.”

Favorite Farmacy Product

“It’s a combination of Invincible Root Cell Anti-Aging Serum because it’s such a powerful and active formula that reduces inflammation, evens out skin tone and promotes collagen production; and our New Day Gentle Cleansing Grains, which are gentle enough to use every day. And they don’t strip your skin, but rather leave it cleansed and hydrated.”

Honing the Green Thumb

“I continue to be an obsessive gardener and will always be! My gardening is my art. Some paint with pigments and paints, while I paint with plants.

“It’s how I stay grounded and connected to the earth and present every day. I love growing all kinds of plants but of course, my Echinacea GreenEnvy is my all-time favorite plant to grow.”